Time To Play The Game
by Vera Roberts
Summary: Rehabbing an injury wasn't a part of his New Year's Resolution. StephHHH.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: Inspiration comes in the weirdest forms. Being a huge Triple H fan, I'm saddened to hear that he's injured and I hope he has a speedy recovery. This story is dedicated to Aspiring Actress and lita101matt101, for requesting to see Hunter-lead story and a Hunter/Steph pairing. _

_I'm not sure if this is going to be a full-blown story or just the one-shot I had originally intended. But I'll play it by ear. If you want me to proceed with the story, I'll continue. _

_Enough babbling…enjoy the story…_

_----------------------------------------------_

He woke up groggily in the hospital room. Adjusting his eyesight a little, he recognized the sterile four walls he has grown to loathe throughout his wrestling career. Struggling to get himself in a semi-upright position, Triple H looked down at his bandaged quad. The good news is that he was going to have a speedy recovery and he would be back in the ring before the end of the year.

The bad news? Well, where did he start? No Wrestlemania. No Summerslam. Possibly no Survivor Series. No chase for the championship. No battle for the Tag-Team titles. For another few seconds, Hunter stared down at his leg and briefly looked around for drugs. He needed to be doped up and as much as possible.

He hoped what happened at New Year's Revolution was just a bad dream. He hoped that he was just being paranoid about things going wrong at the first pay-per-view of the year. But as Triple H looked down at his leg wrapped in heavy bandage, he knew it wasn't a bad dream. He was living in a real-life nightmare and he felt himself on borderline tears.

Grown men aren't supposed to cry over injuries but Hunter wasn't just any man. He worked, beaten, politicked, if you dare—to the top. 2007 was about to be a prime year for him. With the DX reunion retaining momentum from 2006 to talks of another championship run, Hunter was having a great time. He and Stephanie just celebrated their third year anniversary in October, preceded by the birth of their first daughter, Aurora Rose. Things were great.

Perfect.

Too perfect.

He should've seen it coming.

Of course, when everything is going right, something always goes wrong. _Of course, it does! Why wouldn't I suffer a quad tear in my OTHER fuckin' leg?! _Pity turned into anger and disbelief as Hunter continued to stare down at his leg. He had two choices, plain and simple: Rehab his injury and come back better, stronger and more ferocious than ever.

The other option gave Hunter the shivers just thinking about it. Retire. No more crowds or signings. No more adrenaline rushes before he went out from the curtain. No more love and hate from the fans, marks, and smarks. _Well, the smarks I can do without. _

Quitting wasn't an option and Hunter didn't even take it seriously. But approaching 40 and having a young daughter didn't erase the thought from Hunter's mind, neither. He sat out going overseas to entertain the troops because he couldn't bear not spending time with Aurora and Stephanie. While he was looking forward to the unwanted vacation time he was now going to get courtesy of his injury, Hunter was already itching to get back into training as soon as he can.

But for now, he was going have to grin and bear all six to nine months of arduous recovery. _Whoever said lightning doesn't strike twice is full of shit. _

Suddenly, the door to his hospital room opened. Hiding behind a huge bouquet of flowers was his wife, Stephanie McMahon-Levesque. Their relationship was the Romeo and Juliet-type relationship as Vince practically forbid Stephanie to be around Hunter. But true love—as well as hot lust—could not be denied. A teenage crush soon blossomed into a full-blown romance and the pair was considered royalty in the wrestling world. If Vince was king, there was no question who the prince and princess was. "How's my champ?" She smiled.

"Doped up." Hunter replied as he tried to adjust himself.

Stephanie set the flowers down on a nearby table and pulled up a chair beside her husband. The scene eerily reminded her of his first quadriceps injury several years ago. She barely ate or drank the entire surgery and worried helplessly if everything would be fine. To say that experience wasn't the most stressful or traumatic thing their relationship had to experience was a slight understatement. It was a very trying time for them both and it brought them closer.

While she didn't have to worry about his surgery now, she had more pressing things on her mind now. She didn't want Hunter to retire, but Stephanie wasn't sure how much longer he had a career in him. One quad tear was bad. Two was downright disastrous. The odds of Hunter coming back at full speed from this injury were high. The odds of another career-ending injury type were also high. And Stephanie wasn't sure if Hunter going back into the ring for the long-term was a gamble either one of them wanted to take. But those concerns could wait for another time. "Do you need more drugs?" Stephanie asked.

"Okay, but if you dope me up, I can't be blamed for not passing a drug test." Hunter smiled.

_Good, his humor is intact. _"I think you failing a drug test is the least of your concerns, Honey."

"That and I don't think I'll be able to get it up tonight." Hunter smiled.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "So you want those drugs, huh?"


	2. Game Plan

"I'm glad you were able to stop by and see me, man." Hunter said as he chewed his dinner. "Because if one more asshole asked me how I was holding up, I think I would've damaged my other quad sticking my foot up his ass."

Dave Bautista chuckled. "Not a problem. I thought you could use company."

"I could use a lot of things right now." Hunter eyed his wife. "But Dave, you're going have to do for now."

Stopping by after a nearby signing in Birmingham, Dave visited his good friends, Hunter and Stephanie. Back in Evolution, both Dave and Hunter were joined at the hip—trained together, went to the fanciest restaurants and premieres, and traded stories of various indiscretions. They spoke on the phone at least once a week, catching up with each other.

So naturally, when an injury hurt one, it also affected the other. Hunter called and visited Dave when he was rehabbing his tricep tear. Dave, in turn, repaid the favor by visiting Hunter. It was also a chance for Dave to formally introduce his new girlfriend, Nicole. If looks were automobiles, Nicole was definitely top of the line. She was slender with long black hair and of Arabic descent. She had model looks with the girl next-door personality.

And she was the type of woman who could handle Dave. Hunter and Stephanie were briefly acquainted with Nicole as she was one of Dave's old friends from D.C. They always suspected there was more than a little flirtation between the pair but never pressed on.

"So you two finally hooked up?" Hunter asked.

Nicole and Dave looked at each other. They both shrugged, giving the universal sign of 'Maybe, maybe not.' "We're seeing how it goes." Nicole smiled.

"In other words," Hunter looked at Dave. "You haven't hit it yet."

"Paul!" Stephanie slapped his arm.

"What?" Hunter shrugged. "It's an honest question."

"Oh my God. Nicole, he's not really an asshole." Stephanie defended.

Nicole smiled. "It's okay, Steph. I think after knowing Paul for a couple years, I can handle a little crude humor now and then."

"How in the hell was that crude?" Hunter asked. "I just merely asked if you guys were…"

"Please don't even finish that sentence." Stephanie cut him off.

Hunter shrugged as Dave laughed at his friend. "Well, it's true. You see how big Dave's arms have become over the past few weeks. That's not by hitting the gym."

Aurora Rose broke the would-be tension between the couples by softly crying. She was almost eight months old and traveled everywhere with her parents. She was partially the reason that Stephanie and Hunter purchased their luxury tour bus to begin with. Dave and Ric Flair teased Hunter they were glad Aurora resembled Stephanie and not him. _"Poor girl shouldn't be cursed with your schnauze." Dave laughed. _

"It looks like someone needs a diaper change." Stephanie picked up her daughter.

"You have fun with that, Steph." Hunter smiled.

Stephanie smirked. "Mmm hmm…you won't be able to use 'I can't walk so you need to get her, Steph' excuse much longer."

"Yeah, but until now…" Hunter looked up and waved at his wife. "…you have fun with that."

Stephanie gathered Aurora and Nicole followed suit. "We all know how Paul is doing, but what about you?" Nicole asked.

Stephanie shook her head and let out a deep sigh. She wanted to say she was doing great. She wanted to smile and talk about what Aurora did the other day. She also wanted to be realistic. The couple has had a trying year with Stephanie's pregnancy and Hunter being on the road. Now it was another battle. "I've had better times."

"That bad?"

"Not bad, really. We're in a really nice hotel and Paul's been spending a lot of time with Aurora. But…" Stephanie stopped changing Aurora and looked at the wall. "We're a team. We've been together for seven years now. We've always traveled together. Instead of staying in a fancy room, we bought the bus. During his days off, we'll take one of the bikes out and go ridin'. It's just so…so…"

"Weird?" Nicole added.

Stephanie paused for a moment. "Empty. It's really empty. I can't explain it. It's like, my partner in crime isn't with me."

"He will be…soon."

"I know." Stephanie slightly grinned. She held Aurora to her face. "I just hope sooner is around the corner."

--------------------------

Dave waited for the women to be out of earshot before he spoke to his best friend. "How's Stephanie holding up?"

"She's keeping busy." Hunter sipped his coffee. "You've heard about all the firings as of late."

"So, tell me…how are you feeling?"

Hunter sighed and shook his head. "January 6th." He said.

Dave shook his head. "Yeah?"

"That was the last time I had pain-free sex." Hunter sighed. "Fucking with a quad injury isn't so pleasant."

"I didn't think you and Stephanie were still having sex."

"Motherfucker, who do you think I am?" Hunter scoffed. "My dick isn't injured and neither is Steph's mouth."

"TMI, motherfucker." Dave chuckled. "TMI."

Hunter laughed. "After we've seen each other naked on more times I would like to remember, this asshole is going to scream TMI at me?"

"There was nothing wrong with staring at what you wish you had." Dave offered.

"Okay, now I know that chokeslam from Mark fucked with your head." Hunter retorted as Dave laughed more. "But seriously now. You know how it felt when you had the title and everything was fine? Then you got the lat injury but things were on the up and up. But then you tore your tricep again and you had to give up the belt?" Hunter asked as Dave nodded. "That isn't shit compared to this.

"The most humbling and humiliating moment was when a nurse had to help me up so I can take a piss." Hunter shook his head. "I can't just get up and walk around. I have to get in this damn chair." He pointed to his wheelchair.

"When are you cleared to walk?"

"In a few weeks. My recovery is quicker than everyone's expectations but I still can't do a lot of shit. I think I'm more pissed off than anything. Yeah, I was sad and I'll go ahead and admit it, I almost wanted to cry. But what in the hell is that going to do? Make the quad heal any faster? Make me jump up out of bed one morning? Hell no. I just gotta take it day at a time."

"I know that's right."

"Besides…" Hunter smirked. "I'm too cute to retire."

"Oh shit."

"I am." Hunter added. "It's alright to feel jealous, man."

"Paul, I've seen you naked." Dave looked at him. "You have nothing I would be jealous of."


	3. SexyBack

"Lift up your leg. Now hold it." The physical therapist advised. "One, two, three, four, five…that's it…six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Easy now, lower it slowly."

Hunter hated physical therapy. Hate wasn't the appropriate word, he loathed it. He knew it was better for him and the results would be nothing short of spectacular. But that didn't stop him from loathing every waking second of therapy.

He had to practice lifting his leg up and holding it for a few seconds. Normally, it's not hard for a healthy person—even a child could do it. But with a quad tear, it was excruciating. But it was a crucial exercise for the healing process. If Hunter wanted to get back into the ring and wrestle ten-minute matches, he needed to lift his leg.

Hunter took deep breaths. He closed his eyes in attempt to steady his breathing. His face was flushed with red color. After a few moments, it eased back into its normal tanned shade.

"How are you feeling? Feeling better?" The therapist asked.

Hunter gulped down his water bottle and slowly nodded his head. The exercises were the same as before but the pain was no different. He noticed tremendous improvement from the day of the surgery to several weeks later, when he was moved from the wheelchair to crutches. The doctors were so impressed by Hunter's recovery, they were talking about adjusting him down to one crutch sooner than expected.

"I can go for one more." Hunter gritted.

"Oh, I know you can go for one more, Paul. I'm sure you can go for more twenty more but we're done for the day. Take tomorrow off and see how long you can comfortably stand on the leg. Don't overdo it." The therapist warned.

Hunter was frustrated. He knew he can do one more set, even ten more sets. But he also knew patience was his biggest ally. "Alright."

"I'll see you again on Wednesday." The therapist said before he walked out of the training room.

Hunter began gathering his personal items, checking to see if he was going to leave anything behind. And there he saw them. The two things he needed to get used to for at least the next several weeks.

The crutches.

Hunter blew out a hissing breath and stared at the crutches. Every day it was the same routine: get out of bed, grab the crutches, and proceed with the day. No matter how many different ways he moved his view, the crutches still looked the same. _Nice. Maybe if I'm really good, I get to have a sexy cane next. _

Grabbing the crutches, he moved effortlessly through the doors of the rehab facility to his awaiting car. Unlocking the door and easing himself inside, Hunter took a moment to reflect on his recovery. Several weeks ago, driving wasn't an afterthought now he was able to at least drive around town. He didn't require any more assistance and was beginning to gain his independence back.

The next thing on Hunter's agenda was gaining his self-confidence back.

---------------------------------------------------

"You know what I hate?"

Shawn Michaels was afraid to respond. After knowing Hunter for almost 10 years, he was prone to end a question with a vulgar response. "Should I even wonder?"

"These." Hunter referred to his crutches as he steadily moved. "I hate 'em, but I have to use 'em."

Shawn visited his best friend to offer support and see how his DX partner in crime was doing. Ever since Hunter's injury, there have been loud whispers regarding the status of DX and what will happen with only one member standing. Shawn and Hunter scoffed at the talk, with the internet talking about the veterans as if they were rookies.

The men were going for a very brief walk around the rehab center. The day was surprisingly warm in Birmingham, a crisp 50 degrees. "I don't know, Paul." Shawn replied in his usual husky tone. "I think the crutches make you look sexy."

"Whatever, Shawn." Hunter rolled his eyes. "I was sexy before."

"Uh-huh. Sure." Shawn grinned. "So Mr. Bringing Sexy Back, how's rehab?"

"Well, the good news is that I'll return at SummerSlam. My progress is healing a lot quicker than everyone expected."

"And the bad news?"

Hunter stopped walking and paused for a brief moment. He glanced up to the overcast sky, hoping the grayish color would somehow calm his thinking and not make his voice crack. "You know every year that I've been in this company, I've gone to Wrestlemania. Every damn year." He let out a frustrating sigh and rested his hands on the crutches. "Yeah, I'll be there but I won't _be there._ It's one thing to watch it from the production truck and be behind the scenes. It's another thing to be involved in it."

Shawn understood what Hunter was saying. Wrestlemania was considered to be the "Granddaddy of Them All" in terms of sports entertainment. Every wrestling fan and even non-fans were hyped about watching the show. Even when Shawn wasn't a part of the company for a short time, he missed the excitement of being at Wrestlemania.

"Normally, I would be that cheeseball that would say, 'Hey man, you'll be there next year!' or 'Hey, at least your tear isn't that bad!'" Shawn snickered at his own cheerful pick-me-ups he has used on others in the past. "But you know what? There isn't a thing anyone can say to you that will possibly lighten up the situation. So I'll just say this: I understand."

Hunter stopped walking for a brief minute. "I'm glad someone does."

Shawn decided to switch the subject. "How's Steph and Aurora?"

"Steph's been getting on my nerves but what wife doesn't do that to her husband?" Hunter said as Shawn chuckled. "But everything is good. She's been the support I needed."

"That's good." Shawn replied.

"And Aurora is getting her good looks from her daddy." Hunter smiled proudly.

"Not the nose, right?" Shawn asked.

Hunter tapped his crutches. "You know, injured or not I can still kick your ass."

"Oh yeah?" Shawn quickly grabbed Hunter's crutches and paced 20 steps. "Do it."

Hunter stared at Shawn. "You're cold."

Shawn walked to Hunter and gave him back the crutches. "I am. It's a little chilly out here."

"Mmm hmm….sure, Shawn." Hunter countered as he quickly grabbed his crutches from his best friend. "Get your kicks in to a poor and defenseless human being here."

Shawn looked around. "Who?"

Hunter laughed. "And just to let you know, I didn't bring sexy back."

"Of course you didn't."

"I made it popular."


	4. The Return

_Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has read and/or reviewed. Well, this is the final chapter of the story. It was very fun to write and I only hoped I captured the emotions well. Thank you to all!_

_V._

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"You know, I thought the company was paying you enough to pimp your shit. I guess we needed to add in another multimillion dollar deal so you can pimp somebody else's shit."

Dave looked up and saw the man before him. "You know, if it wasn't for the fact we're around other people, I would knock you on your ass."

Hunter chuckled. "I would like to see your old-ass try."

Making a rare public appearance during his injury, Hunter surprised everyone by showing up at the Arnold Classic without crutches or assistance. He wasn't able to move with supreme fluidity and agility but he was far from limping. Stopping by to see Dave at the Nutrabolics booth, Hunter couldn't help to get in some more ribbing.

"Now, pitch this to me." Hunter grabbed a bottle and looked at the ingredients. "What does this shit do?"

"Well, Paul…" Dave smiled. "It makes your body leaner." He then glanced at his friend's body. "Which is something you could use right about now. As a matter of fact, take about ten of these."

"You're funny, Dave. Real fuckin' funny."

"I thought so." Dave replied. "How's the quad?"

"It'll be another week before I can do jumping jacks and backflips." Hunter dryly replied.

"How's the mind?"

"I injured my quad not my brain, jackass."

"So, my assumptions were correct. You're still an asshole." Dave smiled.

Hunter laughed and pulled up a chair at Dave's booth. "I can't tell you how good it feels to finally walk on my own again. No crutches, no wheelchairs, nothing. I never thought I would be so damn happy walking on my own two feet." He slowly shook his head at what had transpired in the past two months. "It's amazing what we take for granted."

"I know that's right." Dave related. "But hey, you're walking now and your recovery is quick, which is a good thing."

"Yeah, it is."

"Hey Paul, can you stay here for a few minutes if you have time?"

"Sure, man. I would love to."

"Because you being there is making me look that much better."

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Seven long and excruciating months from being away and now, Hunter was finally home.

When he arrived at the arena, Hunter was greeted by his co-workers and many of the WWE staff. During his recovery, he actually thought people would forget about it—out of sight, out of mind. Sure, he received the occasional phone call and 'Tell Paul I said hi' remarks. But now it was different. Hunter progressed from doing only house shows to now making his first TV appearance since his injury.

Hunter was home.

Joining his best friend at one of the ringside seats, Shawn stared ahead at the WWE workers setting up the ring. The men were making sure the ring posts were steady as they laid the ring mat down. "Should I even ask what you're thinking?" Shawn inquired.

"It's the little things." Hunter motioned towards the ring. "I never thought I would miss walking down the corridors of an arena. I mean, I just spent 20 minutes watching the guys set up the ring. Why? Because I miss watching them set up the ring. I must've seen them do that a thousand times but now? It's weird."

"You love wrestling. It's not weird if you love what you do."

Hunter did a slow head turn towards Shawn. "Are you trying to humor me?"

"Yes."

Hunter laughed. "At least you're honest."

"Well, somebody has to be."

Stephanie approached them. "Shawn, is it okay I talk to Paul for a moment?"

"Aren't you going to ask me if it's okay?" Hunter asked.

"Baby…" Stephanie cooed. "Of course not."

Shawn immediately got up. "You know, I think I hear Rebecca…" He quickly left.

Hunter shook his head as Stephanie sat beside him. "I knew by marrying you, you were going to get rid of anything manly left in me."

"Not everything." She caressed his face. "You still got that shit on your face."

"Respect the manstache, Steph." He pointed to his facial hair. "Respect the manstache."

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes. "How's my champ, doing?"

"Anxious. I'm ready for the show to start already."

"Well, it will." She looked at her watch. "In about five hours. You waited seven months, five more hours isn't going to kill you."

"I don't know about all that. I could explode spontaneously."

"You're a nerd."

"I know."

"We still have the pre-nup, right?"

"Love you too, Steph."

"I'll leave you alone to gather your thoughts." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. She then got up and straightened out her clothing. "I just wanted to wish you well for tonight."

"Thanks, Baby." Hunter took another sip of his water. "Oh, and Steph?"

"Yes, Honey?"

"Thank you for everything." He grinned.

Stephanie's heart melted. She almost wanted to cry but the moment was too important for any melodrama. "You're welcome. Now put on a good show!"

Hunter smiled back and did his best Forrest Gump impersonation. "Yes, Drill Sergeant."

After Stephanie left, Hunter watch the workers set up the ring for a bit longer. In just a few hours, thousands of people were going to be in the arena. Fans who have sent him 'Get Well' letters and those who kept him in their thoughts were going to be exactly where he was sitting. There was not going to be time to have 'do-overs' or make any excuse. Tonight was the night.

Hunter stood up and headed backstage. Out of all of the thoughts racing through his head, only one stood out. He only hoped he could put on a good show.

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Hunter stood in front of the curtain, in the Gorilla position. He took in a heavy sigh, inhaling the moment and atmosphere around him. He trained long and hard. Months of intensive physical therapy. Months of training to get rid of the ring rust. Months of plotting and preparing his return. He missed potential feuds and pay-per-views. Moreover, it all came down to this final moment.

Pouring the cold water over his head, Hunter closed his eyes and waited for his cue. He felt the crowd chanting his name and the atmosphere was incredible. The moment his music hit, Hunter waited as he normally did. He felt the crowd rise to their feet, shouting and cheering. If there was a surreal moment in his life, this was definitely it.

Taking one last sip of water, Hunter quickly threw it in the corner. He then stepped out from behind the curtain and faced the crowd. He knew the first blow was going to be the hardest felt. He knew the first bump would knock him back into reality. But for now, Hunter was concentrated on putting on a good show and rejoining his DX partner in crime. Now was not the time to worry, it was time to play the game.

The End.


End file.
